A scheme providing professional help to Hong Kong secondary school students at a high risk of suicide will be made permanent and the programme extended to Primary Four to Six pupils on a trial basis for early identification and intervention, the city’s leader has announced.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday the Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism for secondary schools would become a regular fixture this academic year.
Upper primary students would also benefit from the suicide prevention scheme, Lee said during his fourth policy address.
The government launched the scheme in late 2023 after the number of suspected suicide cases among primary and secondary school pupils increased and revamped it in November of the following year.
Between November 2024 and this past June, the Hospital Authority received more than 100 referrals from principals, of which 60 per cent were categorised as semi-urgent while less than 10 per cent were urgent cases.
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The Social Welfare Department handled 243 referrals from schools to non-governmental organisations during the same period.